1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a home appliance network, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for controlling a home appliance network.
2. Background of the Related Art
Currently, a home appliance network is implemented in such a manner that a home server such as a personal computer (PC) and a set top box is established within each home and is provided with a unique IP address through a communication network such as LAN or cable telephone network. External users are accessed to the home server of the home appliance network through tie communication network so that they can remotely control the operation of a desired home appliance.
A related art home appliance network will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 illustrates a related art home appliance network. As shown in FIG. 1, the related art home appliance network includes an external communication equipment 10, a home server 40, an Internet 20, and a cable communication network 30. The external communication equipment 10 externally controls the operation of home appliances 50 within home. The home server 40 controls the operation of the home appliances 50 in accordance with an operational control signal of the external communication equipment 10. The cable communication network 30 transmits the operational control signal of the external communication equipment 10 from the Internet 20 to the home server 40.
The operation of the aforementioned related art home appliance network will now be described with reference to FIG. 1.
An apparatus established as the home server 40 of the home appliance network, such as a PC or a set top box, is connected with the Internet 20 and then is in standby state to receive information transmitted to the home server 40.
The home server 40 includes a sub network that can transmit and receive signals to and from the home appliances 50. Also, the home server 40 should be provided with a program that can establish a server environment.
Meanwhile, a user externally accesses the Internet 20 through a PC or other communication terminal unit 10 connected with the cable communication network 30 such as LAN or telephone communication network. Then, the user moves to a home page for access to the home server 40 within home on the Internet 20.
Once the user accesses the home server 40 having a unique IP address in a corresponding home page, a signal to control the operation of the home appliances 50 within home is output to the home server 40.
The home server 40 receives the operation control signal of the corresponding home appliance 50 through the cable communication network 30 in accordance with a user's request in a home page on the Internet 20. Then, the home server 40 outputs the operation control signal of the corresponding home appliance 50 among the home appliances included in a subnet in the home server 40 in accordance with the received control signal.
The home server 40 and the home appliances 50 transmit and receive data through a protocol prescribed by a data transceiver system.
Meanwhile, the home appliances 50 included in the subnet and connected with the home server 40 perform the operation corresponding to the operation control signal in accordance with the output operation control signal and outputs data on their operation state to the home server 40.
The home server 40 outputs the data on the operation state of the home appliances 50 to an external user.
The related art home appliance network has several problems.
First, if the home server uses a communication system such as ADSL, the home server has a variable IP not a fixed IP. In this case, it is difficult for the external user to easily search the IP address of the home server and access the home server. Furthermore, to establish the home server, the user should purchase a PC or other equipment and is required to subscribe to a charged cable network that can access a communication network. Accordingly, the required cost increases.